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“France passed a law banning super-skinny models on Friday, April 3, reports Reuters. According to the terms of the ban, catwalkers must present a medical certificate to prove that they have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 18, which translates to about 121 pounds if they are 5-foot-7-inches, before being hired for any modeling gig.

Fashion houses who choose to go against the terms of the ban could face a fine of up to $82,000 or six months of jail time.

The French government took notice after 28-year-old fashion model, Isabelle Caro, died in 2007 from anorexia, while campaigning to raise awareness about the condition.” said usmagazine.com

“With the rise of pro-anorexia blogs online, the ban also targets websites that encourage readers to “seek excessive thinness” by skipping meals for long periods of times. Violators of this provision can face fines up to $100,000 and up to a year in prison.

France follows other countries including Italy, Spain, and Israel who adopted similar laws in 2003, banning extremely thin models on the runway. ” said usmagazine.com